possession street

I learnt something the other day.
The street where I work and also used to live is quite special in HK.

On 20 January 1841, Charles Elliot of Britain and Qishan of the Qing Dynasty agreed to the Convention of Chuenpee. A navy official Edward Belcher led a fleet to land in Hong Kong. The surveyors of fleet found an elevated plain near the shore suitable for camping in the west side of the island. A road was built from the shore to the camp.

6 days later, in 26 January 1841, the commander of Far East Fleet James John Gordon Bremer came to Hong Kong by HMS Calliope. A flag rise and gun ceremony marked the official possession of Hong Kong. The landing venue was renamed as Possession Point, and the road from the shore to the camp became Possession Street later.

The street was to start off with full of brothels but those, I'm sure eventful premises of pleasure, are long gone and have been replaced with housing and offices.

So this is where I spend most of my days - on a little piece of land that used to be quite special. Who would have known...